Recover Faster and Feel Better Using Compression Gear

June 28, 2017

Guest Post by Sarah Jones

About the Author: Sarah LOVES compression gear! Is that weird? Probably. When she began wearing compression gear for running, she noticed the impact immediately: her legs would recover much faster, allowing her to train harder. She began Compression Info to spread the word.

Compression gear has been around for a while, but only in the last few years has there been an increase in compression gear use. Compression gear is said to have a host of benefits for athletes and just for people who work out in general. This type of clothing is also used for other medical reasons to help with swelling and can be used when flying or traveling to help increase blood flow. There are several types to choose from in a fantastic array of colors that can help you recover faster and feel better.

What is compression gear?

So what exactly is compression gear? Compression clothing fits tight around the skin. There are arms sleeves, socks, shorts, belly bands and many other different types to choose from. It is usually made of spandex and comes in different degrees of tightness that can be used depending on how strenuous the exercise is. These garments are said to help increase blood flow and reduce inflammation from fluid build-up which helps muscles recover faster, which is why athletes and workout gurus love them.

Items to pick from

Clothing items that are labeled as compression items vary in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and types. Since these items are used to help in the reduction of inflammation, there are clothing pieces suited for different areas of the body. Leggings, socks, shirts, shorts, arm sleeves, calf sleeves, ankle and foot wraps, and hand wraps are all available.

Using compression gear as an athlete

All sorts of top athletes use compression gear. Professional baseball, basketball and football players all have been known to use them. Football and baseball players tend to wear compression garments on their arms, and basketball players have been known to wear them as shorts and on their arms as well. Track runners and golfers have been seen taking advantage of compression items to help stimulate their blood flow as well. Track athletes usually wear some leg compression items, and golfers use arm bands or sleeves.

The benefits of compression items

Compression gear is not used to completely remove all soreness and swelling, but it does help. The tightness of the spandex increases blood flow, which, for athletes, helps them feel not as sore after an event or game. The same goes for people who work out. Heavy lifting or exercise can inflame the muscles due to the stress. Compression keeps the blood moving and restricts the buildup of fluid which keeps the swelling to a minimum. There are other uses for compression gear such as using socks and sleeves while traveling. Sitting for long periods of time can induce swelling, and compression socks can decrease it as well as help with plantar fasciitis and other ailments.

Compression items help reduce pain and swelling on overworked and worked muscle groups. They aren’t meant to be worn for more than a few hours straight, but during the time that they are worn they squeeze the muscles to reduce fluid buildup and to keep the blood flow moving. People that use them have reported feeling less sore than they normally would, and people suffering from plantar fasciitis or swelling in the feet and legs have benefited from the use of compression socks.

If you are active and enjoy sports, working out, or consider yourself an athlete, you could benefit from compression gear!